Letter: Bravery needed in politicians

Pseudo-patriots keep referring to the Constitution and the Second Amendment rights of gun owners. However, what about "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"?

In Newtown, Conn., 20 children and seven staff members no longer have "Life". The same goes all the ordinary, innocent Americans murdered in Aurora, Columbine, Virginia Tech, etc., ad nauseum.

What kind of "liberty" will we have in America if we post gun-toting guards in every school? Are we going to permanently have armed guards in schools, colleges, movie theaters, shopping malls, churches, synagogues, mosques, etc.? It seems the goal of the NRA is to use the most recent tragedy to turn America into a police state.

Regarding "happiness", how many more parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and neighbors are going to have to suffer through the misery of losing someone close to them?

It's time for legislators to stop the NRA's stranglehold on America's political decisions. The NRA's resistance to reasonable gun laws is disgusting, and politicians who choose to support the NRA's posturing are even more disgusting. Maybe what's needed is to start grading politicians who are too cowardly to be guided by their consciences. If the NRA can have a grading system on politicians, why can't we also have one based on personal integrity of our representatives? America deserves honest and brave politicians, not more armed guards.